Recipe courtesy of Wayan Murda

Bebek Betutu: Roast Duck in Banana Leaf

  • Level: Intermediate
  • Yield: 2 servings
  • Total: 1 hr 50 min
  • Prep: 30 min
  • Cook: 1 hr 20 min
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Ingredients

1 (4 1/2-pound) duck, washed and patted dry

Bumbu (Spice rub):

6 cloves garlic, peeled and halved

18 shallots peeled and halved 

3 tablespoons fresh turmeric, peeled and chopped

6 candle nuts, chopped

5 tablespoons ginger, peeled, and chopped

5 bird's-eye chiles, sliced

5 tablespoons "thousand spice" (a Balinese spice mix) 

2 teaspoons dried shrimp paste, roasted and coarsely crushed

1/3 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup coconut oil

Salt and pepper

Banana leaves*

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, or prepare charcoal grill.
  2. In a food processor, puree garlic, shallots, turmeric, candle nuts, ginger, chiles, and thousand spice. Blend well.
  3. In a mixing bowl, make a marinade with the shrimp paste, soy sauce, and oil. Place the duck in the bowl and massage the duck with this mixture. Remove the duck to the banana leaves or foil.
  4. Add the bumbu paste to the remaining marinade, mix well and slather the inside and outside of the duck with the marinade. Close the openings of the bird with skewer, add water, and wrap the duck in several layers of banana leaves, grease proof paper or foil and steam for 50 minutes. Transfer the duck to a moderate oven and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes. Another option is to do the final roasting over a slow charcoal fire rather than in the oven. Be sure to turn the duck several times if cooking over charcoal.
  5. Remove banana leaves, cut the duck meat up in small pieces, and serve with stuffing. When cooked, the meat should be so tender that it falls off the bones.

Cook’s Note

*can substitute greaseproof paper or aluminum foil for wrapping)

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Judy C.

i have not tried this recipe, but many years ago, I had bebek betutu at least twice while in Ubud, Bali. It had to be ordered the day before &amp; was wrapped in some leaf (not a banana leaf, I believe; in fact I think the leaf may have had narcotic effects, but forget why I think that, except that my SO went to his office on our return &amp; told them that he couldn't take a drug test for several days. don't know if we KNEW this or only suspected; I believe the latter!. it was a dish to die for. If this comes even close, would be well worth the effort!!!<br /><br />this recipe is taken, nearly word-for-word, from a little book I have had for ages: "The Food of Bali : Authentic Recipes from the Island of the Gods." It is a Periplus World Cookbook.

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